MAUNA KEA
Trainer: Julia Carey
Last race: Aug. 7, 4th
Finish: 3rd by 1 1/4
Beyer: 73
She started slowly, as she often does, before racing at least four wide throughout in a $40,000 route on the grass and made up significant ground from well off slow fractions.

Aug. 8

Saratoga

Test (race 8)

As always, my course of action will be determined by a fair-odds personal betting line, the toteboard, and whether there is any value offered on the contenders. This methodology is capable of putting you on horses that otherwise might not be considered. In the long run, betting on overlays is the only way to overcome the percentages stacked against the player.

Betting lines for turf races are applicable for turf only.

Race 1: No line. Most entrants are unraced 2-year-olds.

With Shared Belief and California Chrome out for the year for some time now, the handicap division has been begging for someone to step up and take control. So we all looked at Saturday’s renewal of the Whitney at Saratoga and its seven Grade 1 stakes winners for deliverance. And this Whitney certainly delivered. In spades.

DEL MAR, Calif. – In terms of quality, the later races Sunday at Del Mar are the best races – a turf allowance for 3-year-old fillies in race 6, a deep sprint for 2-year-old maiden fillies in race 7, and the La Jolla Handicap for 3-year-olds on turf in race 8.

In terms of wagering opportunities, the early races Sunday are the best races – a turf route with a “live” 12-1 shot, a sprint for older maidens with a likely winner at low odds, an allowance sprint with another likely winner at a short price, and an overlay in a turf claimer.

I’ve written elsewhere about my ongoing fascination with, and allegiance to, Honor Code. I’ll be rooting for him down the stretch. As a practical, parimutuel matter, however, I can’t single him in my pick-anythings.

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens saddles V. E. Day (#6, ML 8-1) and Wicked Strong (#9, ML 20-1) in Saturday’s ninth race at Saratoga, the Grade 1 Whitney Stakes. Since Jan., 1, 2014, Jerkens is winning at a 26 percent clip in graded stakes races, for a return on investment of $4.04.

Catherine's Dream (#6, ML 7-2) returns in Saturday's first race at Louisiana Downs, the six-furlong Louisiana Cup Filly and Mare Sprint Stakes. It will be her first start since finishing first by 2 1/4 lengths in an optional claimer May 28 at Louisiana Downs. The second-, third-, fourth-, and sixth-place finishers from that race came back to win their next starts.

Take your pick of multi-race exotic bets with guaranteed pools on Whitney Day. There is a $250,000 pick six (races 6-11); a $400,000 pick five (races 1-5); and a $750,000 late pick four (races 8-11).

We’ll focus on the late pick four, spreading a bit in the Test, Whitney, and Waya, and taking a stand with a single in the anchor leg.

Race 8: Test

DEL MAR, Calif. – Daily doubles get little attention, even though the wager is one of the least expensive exotics on the Del Mar betting menu.

Only the pick five is less expensive than the double. Takeout for the pick five is 14 percent; takeout for daily doubles is 20 percent. Every other multiple-race wager costs 23.68 percent. That is 18 percent higher (3.68 divided by 20) than doubles.